Railroad-joint.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

T. H. TRACY.

RAILROAD JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1904.

u m ad w WW0? /W w? W l Q NITED STATES Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT QFFICE.

RAILROAD-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,449, dated March 7, 1905.

Application filed July 19, 1904. Serial No. 217,202.

To all whom it ntag concern:

Be itknown thatI, THOMAS H. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a railroad joint or splice; and the primary object of the same is to provide a simple and effective device of this class which will materially reduce the wear and tear on the rolling-stock, prevent accidents by obstructing the spread or depression of the rails, and also to includemeans for securely holding the nuts in applied relation to the locking-bolts and resist any tendency toaccidental loosening of such nuts by vibration or other causes.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of sections of rails, showing the improved joint or splice in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the rail-sections and joint or splice. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the position of the nut-locking means before the locking-bolts are fully secured. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a chair-plate used in connection with the joint or splice. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of a joint or splice, showing the manner of forming one of the nut-locking recesses therein. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through a portion of the joint to illustrate the nut-locking recess and showing a nut engaging said recess in edge elevation.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views. p

The numerals 1 and 2 designate rail-sections having their abutting ends cut at oblique angles to form a bevel-joint 3 for the purpose of decreasing the jar and noise incident-to carwheels moving thereover. The joint or splice organization consists of a chair-plate A, which is arranged on contiguous ties and has upstanding guard flanges 5 at intermediate points, which will be located between the inrecesses 16, as clearly shown by Fig. A.

ner opposing edges of the ties. Adjacent to the ends of the plate in opposite sides are spike-slots 6, which are adapted to receive the ordinary spikes to secure the plate to the ties, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The joint organization also includes an angular fish-plate 7, having a thickened upstanding flange 8, which extends across the abutting ends of the rail-sections 1 and 2 over the webs of the latter and has a base-flange of usual construction terminating evenly with the edges at one side of the said sections. The upper thickened flange 8 is formed with a series of bolt-holes 9,which are adapted to aline with similar holes in the webs of the rail-sections. Applied to the opposite sides of the webs of the rail-sections is an angular locking member having a lower flange 10, which extends over the base-flanges of the rail-sections and terminates coincidently with the outer edges of said flanges. Rising from the inner terminal of the flange 10 is a fishplate element 11, constructed of resilient metal and having an outwardly-bent depending locking-tongue 12, which normally stands outwardly at an angle of inclination with relation to the element 11, as clearly shown by Fig. 2, the lower edge of the tongue terminating above the upper surface of the flange 10. In the outer side of the tongue 12 a series of nut-recesses 13 are formed and of such shape with respect to a square nut 14: as to permit the said nut to be turned into the re cess and engage locking-shoulders 15, located at different portions of the recess. The main body of the recess 13 is of square configuration, and continuing therefrom are angular Each nut 14c is adapted to cooperate with the screwthreaded extremity of a locking-bolt 17.

In assembling the parts of the joint or splice the plate 1 is disposed on the ties and the rails placed on the plate, the abutting ends of the rails being between the guard-flanges 5 and the latter thereby acting as etl'ective auxiliaries to prevent the rails from having spreading movement. The plate acts as a chair to prevent the rails from being depressed at their joined ends. After the plate and rail sections are in place, as stated, the fish-plate 7 is applied against one of the sections and the locking element against the opposite side, i as shown, and thelocking-bolts 17 are then 1 inserted through the flange 8 of the fish-plate 7 and the element 11 and the tongue 12, the screw-threaded extremities of the said locking-bolts projecting through the centers of the nut-receiving recesses 13. The nuts 14 are then applied and turned in a proper direction to gradually draw the looking-bolts in tight engagement with the parts through which they pass, and as the pressure of the nuts is brought forcefully to bear against the tongue 12 the latter is forced inwardly toward the element 11, as shown by Fig. 2. When the nuts are fully applied they will have their rear portions extend into recesses 13, and the resiliency of the tongue and tendency toward outward movement thereof will always maintain the nuts in engagement with the recesses and in locked condition,and thereby obstruct any tendency of the said nuts from becoming accidentally loosened. Spikes, as shown by dotted lines, are finally driven through the spike-slots '6 of the plate t into the ties, and the heads of said spikes bear on the lower flanges of the fish-plate 7 and the members having the springtongue. The guards 5 also facilitate the regular application of the parts of the joint against opposite sides of the webs of the rail-sections.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a comparatively simple and effective joint or splice for rail-sections is provided, and it will be understood that changes in the proportions and dimensions may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail joint or splice, the combination with rail-sections, of a fish-plate applied to one side thereof, a nut-locking member applied to the opposite side and having a depending resilient tongue with nut-receiving recesses in the outer faces thereof, and locking-bolts inserted through the fish-plate and l locking-tongue and having nuts to engage the said recesses.

2. In a rail joint or splice, the combination with rail-sections, of an angular fish-plate applied to one side of said sections, a locking member applied to the opposite side of said sections and having a vertical element continuing into an outer depending resilient tongue which normally stands outwardly at an angle of inclination to said element, the outer face of the tongue having nut-receiving recesses therein, and locking-bolts inserted through the fish-plate, the vertical element and its tongue, and the rail-sections and having nuts thereon to enter the said recesses,'the tongue being pressed toward the element when the nuts are tightened.

8. In a rail joint or splice, the combination with rail-sections having abutting ends, of a chair-plate on which said rail-sections are disposed, the chair-plate being provided with upstanding intermediate guards, against which the opposite edges of the base-flanges of the rail-sections have bearing, an angular fishplate applied against one side of the rail-sections, a locking member applied against the.

opposite side of the sections and provided with a vertical element continuing into a spring-tongue which normally stands outwardly from said element at an angle of inclination and formed with nut-receiving recesses in the outer side thereof, and lockingbolts inserted through the fish-plate, rail-sections, and the element and its tongue, and having nuts movable thereon to enter said recesses, the pressure of the nuts against the tongue forcing the latter inwardly toward the element of which it forms a part;

In testimony whereof I affiX my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

THOS. H. TRACY.

\Vitnesses:

J. (Jr. PARMENTER', (J. E. SCOTT. 

